Shaft-operating mechanism.



1. ECKERT &J. K1RBY,1R.

SHAFT OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATIONILED NOV.2G.1917

Patented May14,1918.

. UNFEED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

JOSEPH ECKERT AN D JOI-IN KIRBY, JR., OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIG-NORS T0 THE DAYTON MANUFACTURING COMPANY.` 0F DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION' OF OHIO.

SHAFT-OPERATIN G MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Application filed November 20, 1917. Serial No. 202,982.

T0 all 'whom 2725 'may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH ECKERT and JOHN KIRBY, Jr., citizens of the United States, and residents of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Operating Mechanism, of which the followingis a description, reference being had to the accompanying dra-wings, which form a part of our specification.

Our invention relates to an improvement in car brake mechanism, and more particularlyy to that class wherein the handle or operating lever when turned in one direction rotates the brake-shaft, and when turned in an opposite direction will move independently of the brake-shaft.

Theiobject of the invention is to produce a brake operating mechanism wherein a ratchet wheel is fixed to or formed on the brake-shaft and a gravity actuated roller is employed to engage either of the teeth of the ratchet Wheel to rotate the brakeshaftin a winding direction to apply the brakes, and to automatically move out of the path of said teeth when the operating handle is moved in the opposite direction. The broad principle upon which our present invention is based is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 508,025 issued to J. Kirby, Jr., Nov. 7, 1893, the present invention being designed to utilize the ratchet and roller principle shown in said patent in such manner as will permit the brakeshaft to rotate in ai reverse or unwinding direction, when the brakes are released, independently of the operating handle and casing, as contra -distinguished from the mechanism disclosed in Patent No.1,162,994, issued to Evans and YVilling, Dec. 7. 1915, and to which mechanism we make no claim.

TWith this and other objects in view the invention consists in the various novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described in the specitieation. illustrated in the drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, and in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts., we have illustrated one form of brake handle embodying the essential features of our invention, although the same may be carried into effect in other ways without in the least departing from the spirit thereof,

and in these drawings Figure 1 is a side view of our improved brake handle partly in section taken on the line C C of Fig. 2, showing the relative arrangement and position kof the different parts, the operating lever being shown, in solid lines, in its operative position and by dotted lines in its normal or inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of our invention, partly in section, taken on line A A of Fig. l. Fig.` 3 is a broken side view of the connecting end of the operating lever, detached. Fig. 4 is a cross section through the operating lever taken on the line B B of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front view of roller housing and mechanism for holding the brake shaft against retrograde movement, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line X X of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings 1 is the brake shaft, the lower portion of ywhich is journaled in the car platform in the usual manner. Upon the upper portion of the brakeshaft there is rigidly mounted a ratchet member 9. secured to the shaft, preferably, by means of )ins 3, 4, and having a series of vertically formed ratchet teeth 5 around its exterior, as shown, the shaft being re duced at 6 and the member 2 conforming thereto. TheJ upper end of the shaft 1 is reduced in diameter at 7 forming a shoulder 8 upon which there is mounted a sleeve or cylinder 9 which surrounds the ratchet member 2 and is rotatable therearound independently of movement of the shaft and the said member. This sleeve is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end except that it is provided with an upwardly eX- tending collar 10 which surrounds the reduced portion 7 of the shaft. the sleeve being held in position on the shaft by mea-ns of a nut 11 as more clearly shown in Fig. 1. Atone side of and preferably integral with the sleeve there is formed a pair of laterally extending ears 12. 13, united by an extended portion 14 ofthe top 15 of the sleeve. Between the ears 12, 13 there is pivotally mount-ed an operating lever or handle 16 by means of a. bolt 17 which passes through aperture 18 in the ears and 19 in the lever.

The connecting end of the operating lever or handle is provided with a curved slot or chamber 2O having a top portion 21 constituting an extension of the lever as more clearly shown in Fig. 1. Free to traverse the slot 20, in a vertical plane but restrained from movement in other directions, there is located a roller ivl'iichvvhen the operating lever is in operative position, as shown in solid lines in l, rolls behind one of the ratchet teeth 5, the Wall of the sleeve being cut aivay to admit of such movement and ivhen the ratchet Wheel and the roller are thus in engagement by turning the operating lever in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. the ratchet ivheel and the brake shaft Will be rotated in the same direct-ion to set the brakes, While in moving the lever inthe opposite direction the roller will t z vel over the inclined surfaces of the ratchet teeth bach and forth in the slot 20, thus alloiving the lever and the sleeve to rotate in a reverse direction independently ofthe ratchet Wheel and the shaft. To insure the free and easy Withdrawal of the roller When it is under pressure behind one of the ratchet teeth it is provided With a central perforation Q3 through which and through the side Walls of the. seat- QO in the operating lever a pin 2l passes, the relation of this pin to the perforation being such as to cause the Withdrawal of the roller simultaneouslyivith the doivnivard movement of the operating lever; the diameter of the said perforation being sufficient to prevent any interference with the required movement of the roller.

lt ivill, of course, be understood that our invention contemplates setting of the brakes through a number of partial revolutions of the brake shaft, that is to say, one stroke of the operating` lever will rotate the shaft, say, one-quarter of a revolution, the lever then being reversed for another stroke, the operation being repeated until the brakes are fully set, each partial revolution of the shaft being held against retrograde movement either by the customary pavvl and ratchet device secured to the car platform or by means presently to be described. llornially the operatinglever hangs suspended on the bolt 17 in an inoperative position, its operative position being substantially horizontal as before indicated. The roller Q2 protected from exposure by ythe extended portion le of the top i5 which in conjunction ivith the ears l2, i3 form a housing for the adjacent end of the lever regardless of the position of the latter. rllhe operating lever or handle is preferably formed hollow from a point near the aperture 19 to its free end, a channel 2l, about one-half of the thickness of the roller, being formed through the solid portion to provide an outlet through the handle and the opening 26 at the end thereof for any foreign substance which may find its `yay into the roller slot- QO. The said lever is further provided with a movable sleeve QT having an annular shoulder QS and a rounded end 29 projecting Lacasse slightly beyond the face side of the lever and adapted to engage a corresponding detent 30 in the inner face of the ear 12, the said sleeve being pressed outward by a coil spring 3l, the purpose of this arrallgemeine being to restrain the lever from dropping of its own weight ivhile in operative position, thus relieving the operator from the necessity of holding the said lever against its inclination Vto drop to its normal position during the brake setting operation, it being understood that a slight pressure on the lever ivill release the spring pressed rounded end Q9 from the detent 30 and leave the lever free to drop by gravity to its normal position. This particular feature is shovvn, described and claimed in application of John lfirby, dr., ferial Number 202,142, dated November lill?, it being shown and described in this application merely to illus- Itrate its adap ability to our present invenli n. lt sometimes happens that when the brakes are set and the retaining paWl and 'atchet i uanism released, the shaftrefuses to univind because of some irregularity; in such cases it becomes necessary to use force to free the brake chain and allov1 the shaft to perform its proper function. T o provide for such emergency and adapt our improved mechanism to performance of such reverse action ive provide a pin 32 to be inserted through perforation 33 formed in the ears l2, i3 and the lever 16, which perforaticns when the lever is in operative position register vvith each other, the location of this p in being immediately behind the roller locks the same in engagement With the ratchet ivheel and thus provides a means ivhereby the shaft may be operated in a reverse direction. rl support 34e is provided for the pin when out of service, and a chain B5 secures it against removal from the brake mechanism.

Heretofore in mounting hand brakeop- @rating mechanism on cars the ordinary practice has been to secure a ratchet Wheel to the loiver part of the shaft, at the floor of the platform and which operates in con-r junction With a paivl pivotally secured to the licor, to hold the shaft against retrograde movement during the operation of setting the brales, and thereafter until the paivl is released by the foot of the operator, this inechan i being separate and apart from the brake operating mechanism at the upper end o the bralre shaft. 011e of the objects o'" th invention is to utilize the foregoing de cribed ratchet and roller principle as a means by which the brakeshaft is hcl-d against retrograde movement when it is under tension and pre sure on the operating lever is released and whereby the same may be released. at the Will of 'the operator. to .vliich end We provide a second series of ratchet teeth 36 disposed at an therefrom, as shown.

angle to those already described, located below the same, and extending outwardly These ratchet teeth may be formed in a separate member 37 secured to the shaft so as to rotate therewith, or the members 2 and 37 may be formed in a single element as may best meet the judgment and convenience ofthe manufacturer, the number of teethconstituting` the second series being increased to provide for more frequent grips by the retaining element, about to be described. A shaft bracket 38, located below thesecond series of teeth, provides a bearing and guide for the shaft within which the same is free to rotate, this bracket 38, terminates in a bracket-plate 39; adapted to be secured to any suitable support and having a branch 40 extending at an angle thereto, provided with an inwardly projecting housing 41 forming an inclined roller chamber 42 and having an inclined slot 43 in each of the side walls thereof. Contained within this housing is a second kroller 44 having a central perforation 45 and being free to move in and out of en- Iagement with Athe ratchet teeth 36 and when in engagement therewith serves to hold the shaft against retrograde movement. L

A bifurcated lever 46 having side walls 47 anda handle 48 straddles the housing 41 and is pivoted to the bracket plater at 49. A pin 50, the ends of which are riveted or otherwise secured .to the side walls `47, passes through the` housing 4l and through the perforation 45 in the roller 44 and is operative inthe slots 43. Thus when the roller is positioned behind one of the ratchet teeth 36 the shaft will be held against retrograde movement, and when in such position the pin 50 will occupy a position in close proximity to the rear side of perforation 45, so that when the bifurcated lever 46 is moved on itsy pivot 49 toward the rear, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, the pin 50 will traverse slots 43 and carry the roller 44 out of the pathl of the ratchet teeth 36 leaving the brake chain free to unwind and release the brakes, itbeing understood that during the winding process the roller rides over the inclined surfaces of the ratchet teeth in the manner hereinbefore explained with respect to the roller Forward movement of the bifurcated lever 46 is limited by a stop 51 formed on the housing 41, rearward movement thereof being limited by the `top' edge of bracket plate 40. f y

To operate the foregoing described winding mechanism theoperator `raises the operating lever from its normal or ino-pera tive position to its operative or horizontal position, during which operation the roller 22 automatically engages one of the ratchet teeth 5 and thereby establishesv operative connection with the shaft which can then be rotated byy turning the operating lever, said operative connection` being vbroken .by the dropping of the loperating lever. v v

. While weA have illustratedr and described our invention inV connection with brakes for railway cars vit obviously is applicable for otherwinding purposes and we do not limit the use thereof 'to the particulary purpose herein described. V

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim l. In a'device of the character described, theA combination cfa-shaftl adapted to be rotated, ratchet carried by the shaft and shaft, a member mounted upon the shaftl and rotatable independently thereof, an operating lever in pivotal connect-ion with said member, and a roller loosely mounted upon said lever adapted to engage the teeth of said ratchet whereby the lever when turnedin one direction will rotate the shaft and'when turned in the opposite direction will move independently of the shaft. 3. In winding` mechanism of the character described, ythe combination of a shaft, a ratchetA carriedby and rotatable with the shaft, a member mounted upon the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an voperating lever in pivotal connection with said member, and a roller loosely mounted upon said lever adapted to automatically engage the teeth of said ratchet whereby the lever when turned -in one direction will rotate the .shaft and when turned in the opposite direction will move independently of the shaft.

4. The combination kof a shaft having a ratchet therearound, of a member mounted on said shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an operating lever pivotally mounted uponsaid member, and roller mechanism carried by said lever adapted to operatively connect said levers with said shaft whereby the same may be rotated.

The combination of a shaft having a ratchet therearound, of a member mounted upon said shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an operatinglever pivotally mounted upon said member, and roller mechanism carried by said lever to automatically conneet said lever Awith said shaft whereby the same may be rotated,

6. In -combination rwith a shaft and a ratchet adapted to be rotated, a member mount-ed upon the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an operating lever in pivotal connection with `said member 'and having an elevated operative vposition and a depending normal position, roller mechanism carried by said lever arranged to engage said ratchet when Vthe lever is elevated and thereby establish operative connection with the shaft to rotate the same, the `said connection being broken by the downward movement of the lever.

`'Z'. ln winding mechanism the combination of a shaft, a circular member having ratchet teeth formed in its .peripheral surface carried by and rotatable with the shaft, -a second member carried by and rotatable independently ofthe shaft, an operating lever in pivotal connection with said second member being normally suspended upon its pivot and adapted to be swung to' a horizontal position, and roller mechanism carried by said lever whereby in raising the same to a horizontal position operative connection `between the shaft and the lever will be established, .said connection being `broken by the downward movement of the lever.

8. ln winding mechanism the combination of a shaft having a circular ratchet, a member mounted upon the shaft and rotatable independently thereof, an operating lever in pivotal connection with said member and normally suspended upon its pivot, a recess formed in one end of said lever and a'roller located in said recess whereby when said lever is raised to afhorizontal position said roller will automatically engage said ratchet and thereby establish operative connection between said shaft and said lever.

9. In combination with a rotatable shaft and ratchet, a member loosely mounted upon the shaft, an operating lever carried by said member and normally occupying a suspended position but movable in a vertical plane independently of said member, and roller mechanism carried by said lever, whereby operative connection between said shaft and said lever will be established when the lever is raised to operative position.

l0. ln combination with a rotatable shaft and ratchet, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the shaft and having members extending laterally therefrom, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said members and normally suspended upon its pivot, and roller mechanism carried by said lever adapted to engage said ratchet and thereby establish operative connection with the shaft whereby the same may be rotated. r

ll. ln combination vwith a rotatable shaftand ratchet, a sleeve loosely mounted upon the shaft and having members extending laterally therefrom, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said members and normally suspended upon its pivot, roller mechanism carried by said lever adapted to automatically engage said ratchet when the lever is in operative position, thereby establishing annessa Vthe same may be rotated vin either direction.

13. ln combination with a shaft provided with means for its rotation, a member mounted upon and rotatable independently of the shaft; said member yhaving lateral extensions forming a support for an oper- Aating lever, an operating Vlever pivotally mounted upon said extensions and normally suspended upon kits pivot, roller .mechanism carried by said lever to engage said means and thereby establish operative connection whereby the shaft may be rotated, and a removable pin ,adapted to lock said roller mechanism in engagement with the shaft whereby the same may be rotated in either direction.

la. ln Vbrake operating mechanism the ycombination of a shaft adapted to be rotated, means whereby the same may be ro- Vtated to set the brakes, a support for the upper end of said shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, and roller mechanism adapted to engage said ratchet to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft.

l5. ln brake operating mechanism the combination of a shaft adapted to be rotated, means whereby the same may be rotated `to set the brakes, a support for the upper end of said shaft, a ratchet lined to said shaft, roller mechanism carried by said support adapted to automatically engage said ratchet to hold the shaft against retrograde Vmovement, and means for releasing said roller mechanism from said ratchet.

16. 'ln brake operating mechanism the combination of a shaft adapted tobe rotated, means whereby the same may be rotated to set the brakes7 a support for the upper end of said shaft, a ratchetfixed to said shaft, a housing carried by said support, a roller loosely mounted in said housing adapted to automatically eng-age said ratchet and hold said shaft against `retrograde movement, and means for releasing said roller from said ratchet.

17. A new article `of manufacture, comprising an operatinglever adapted to rotate brake settinO mechanism; said lever being provided with means for pivotal attachment to the thing to be rota-ted and 4having at its connecting end a slotted recess having an inclined bottom, a roller loosely mounted in said recess, and means for retaining said roller in said recess.

18. A new article of manufacture, comprising an operating lever adapted to rotate brake setting mechanism; said lever being provided with means for pivotal attachment to the thing to be rotated and having 10 at its connecting end a slotted recess having rotated.

JOSEPH ECKERT. JOHN KIRBY, JR. W'itnesses W. EMERSON, Jr., H. D. ,HENDRIGm Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

